Sample introduction mechanism and analyzer

Abstract

The utility model discloses a sample introduction mechanism and an analyzer, and relates to the technical field of medical instruments. The sampling mechanism comprises a rack, a stepping driving assembly and a counting assembly; the rack is provided with a feeding channel, the feeding channel is used for a test tube rack to pass through, and the rack is further provided with an unloading area communicated with the feeding channel; the stepping driving assembly is installed on the rack and used for driving the test tube rack in the feeding channel to move towards the unloading area in a stepping mode, and the test tube rack can be driven by the driving assembly once to move by one unit distance; the counting assembly is mounted on the rack, and the counting assembly can be triggered every time the test tube rack moves by a unit distance, so that the counting assembly can know the driving times of the stepping driving assembly. The sample introduction mechanism solves the technical problem that the test tube rack in the existing sample introduction mechanism fails to unload.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of medical devices, in particular to a sample injection mechanism and an analyzer. Background Art

[0002] Existing analyzers typically have a sample feed mechanism that transports a rack of test tubes to a sample aspiration station. Once the sample aspiration process is complete, the rack is unloaded to a recovery area. However, this mechanism can fail during the unloading process due to the rack not moving properly or a previously unloaded rack intruding into the channel. Utility Model Content

[0003] In view of this, the utility model provides a sample introduction mechanism and an analyzer, which are used to solve the technical problem of test tube rack unloading failure in the existing sample introduction mechanism.

[0004] In order to solve the above technical problems, the first technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0005] A sample injection mechanism, comprising:

[0006] The frame is provided with a feed channel for the test tube rack to pass through, and the frame is also provided with an unloading area connected to the feed channel;

[0007] a stepping drive assembly mounted on the frame and configured to drive the test tube rack in the feed channel to move stepwise toward the unloading area, wherein a single drive of the drive assembly can move the test tube rack one unit distance;

[0008] and a counting component installed on the rack. The counting component can be triggered every time the test tube rack moves a unit distance, so that the counting component can know the number of times the stepping drive component is driven.

[0009] In some embodiments of the sample feeding mechanism, the counting assembly includes a counting optical coupler and a shielding member, the counting optical coupler is mounted on the frame, the shielding member is rotatably connected to the frame, the shielding member has an initial position in which the counting optical coupler is not triggered, and a triggering position in which the counting optical coupler is triggered, in its rotation path relative to the frame, the shielding member has a tendency to return to the initial position, and the shielding member partially extends into the feeding channel when in the initial position;

[0010] Each time the test tube rack moves a unit distance, the shielding member can be rotated from the initial position to the trigger position, and the shielding member is prevented from resetting and rotating after the shielding member triggers the counting optical coupler.

[0011] In some embodiments of the sample injection mechanism, there are multiple counting components, and the multiple counting components are all installed on the rack and arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the feed channel. Each counting component can be triggered every time the test tube rack moves a unit distance.

[0012] In some embodiments of the sampling mechanism, the sampling mechanism further includes an unloading assembly, which is installed on the frame and located in the unloading area. The unloading assembly is used to drive the test tube rack to move, and the driving direction of the unloading assembly is set at an angle to the extension direction of the feed channel.

[0013] In some embodiments of the sampling mechanism, the sampling mechanism further includes a first detection element, which is mounted on the rack and located in the unloading area. The first detection element is communicatively connected to the unloading assembly, and the first detection element is used to detect the position of the test tube rack in the unloading area.

[0014] In some embodiments of the sampling mechanism, the sampling mechanism further includes a second detection element, which is mounted on the frame and correspondingly located at one end of the feed channel close to the unloading area, and the second detection element is used to detect the position of the test tube rack in the feed channel.

[0015] In some embodiments of the sampling mechanism, the rack is further provided with a loading area connected to the feed channel, the loading area is used to store a plurality of the test tube racks, and the sampling mechanism further includes a loading assembly, the loading assembly is used to transport the test tube racks in the loading area into the feed channel.

[0016] In some embodiments of the sampling mechanism, the sampling mechanism further includes a rotating assembly and a code scanning assembly, both of which are installed on the frame, the rotating assembly is used to drive the reaction cup on the test tube rack in the feed channel to rotate, and the code scanning assembly is used to identify the information code on the reaction cup.

[0017] In some embodiments of the sample feeding mechanism, the rack is provided with a first sample aspirating position and a second sample aspirating position, the first sample aspirating position is located in the feeding channel, and the second sample aspirating position is located outside the feeding channel;

[0018] The sample feeding mechanism further includes a picking component, which is mounted on the rack and is in communication with the code scanning component. The picking component is used to transport the reaction cup on the test tube rack in the feeding channel to the second sample aspiration position.

[0019] In order to solve the above technical problems, the second technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0020] An analyzer includes the sample injection mechanism described in the above embodiment.

[0021] The implementation of the present invention will have at least the following beneficial effects:

[0022] The above-mentioned sample feeding mechanism is applied to the analyzer, which can enable itself and the analyzer to have the technical effect of improving the transportation accuracy of the test tube rack and ensuring that the test tube rack is moved into place. Specifically, the sample feeding mechanism of the utility model includes a stepping drive component and a counting component. The stepping drive component can drive the test tube rack to move in the feed channel in a stepping manner, and the counting component can be triggered by each stepping movement of the test tube rack. In this way, the number of times the stepping drive component is driven can be obtained, and the moving distance of the test tube rack under each drive is a unit distance. In this way, the moving distance of the test tube rack can be further determined by counting, and then whether the test tube rack has been moved into place can be determined, thereby solving the technical problem of test tube rack unloading failure in the existing sample feeding mechanism. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0024] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the sample injection mechanism in one embodiment;

[0025] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a counting component in one embodiment;

[0026] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Top view of the injection mechanism shown.

[0027] Among them: 1. Rack; 11. Feed channel; 12. Unloading area; 13. Loading area; 14. First sample suction position; 2. Stepper drive assembly; 3. Counting assembly; 31. Counting optical coupler; 32. Shielding member; 4. Unloading assembly; 5. First detection element; 6. Rotating assembly; 7. Code scanning assembly; 8. Picking assembly; 100. Test tube rack. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, a more comprehensive description of the present invention will be provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention. However, the present invention may be implemented in many other forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and comprehensive understanding of the disclosure of the present invention.

[0029] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" another element, it may be directly attached to the other element or there may be an intermediate element. When an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only.

[0030] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. The terms used herein in the specification of this invention are intended only to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0031] like Figure 1-3 As shown, in an embodiment of a sampling mechanism, the sampling mechanism includes a frame 1, a stepping drive assembly 2, and a counting assembly 3. The frame 1 is provided with a feed channel 11, which is used for a test tube rack 100 to pass through. The frame 1 is also provided with an unloading area 12 connected to the feed channel 11. The stepping drive assembly 2 is installed on the frame 1 and is used to drive the test tube rack 100 in the feed channel 11 to move stepwise toward the unloading area 12. A single drive of the drive assembly can move the test tube rack 100 by one unit distance. The counting assembly 3 is installed on the frame 1. Each time the test tube rack 100 moves one unit distance, the counting assembly 3 can be triggered, so that the counting assembly 3 can know the number of times the stepping drive assembly 2 has been driven.

[0032] In this embodiment, the stepping drive assembly 2 can drive the test tube rack 100 to move in the feed channel 11 in a stepping manner, and the counting assembly 3 can be triggered by each stepping movement of the test tube rack 100. In this way, the number of times the stepping drive assembly 2 is driven can be obtained. The moving distance of the test tube rack 100 under each drive is a unit distance. In this way, the moving distance of the test tube rack 100 can be further determined by counting, and then whether the test tube rack 100 has moved into place can be determined, thereby solving the technical problem of failure of unloading the test tube rack 100 in the existing sample feeding mechanism.

[0033] Specifically, the stepping drive assembly 2 can use a stepping motor as a driving component, and can also achieve stepping by cooperating with a driving component and an actuator. For example, the stepping drive assembly 2 may include a motor and a cam-like structural component. In this way, when the cam-like structural component rotates one circle under the drive of the motor, only the protruding part pushes the test tube rack 100 to move, thereby achieving stepping.

[0034] In one embodiment of the sample feeding mechanism, the counting assembly 3 includes a counting optical coupler 31 and a shield 32. The counting optical coupler 31 is mounted on the frame 1, and the shield 32 is rotatably connected to the frame 1. In its rotational path relative to the frame 1, the shield 32 has an initial position in which the counting optical coupler 31 is not triggered, and a triggered position in which the counting optical coupler 31 is triggered. The shield 32 has a tendency to return to the initial position, and when in the initial position, the shield 32 partially extends into the feed channel 11. Each unit movement of the test tube rack 100 causes the shield 32 to rotate from the initial position to the triggered position, and after the shield 32 triggers the counting optical coupler 31, the shield 32 is allowed to return to its original position.

[0035] In this embodiment, the shielding member 32 may be a plate-shaped or sheet-shaped structural member, or a multi-segment structure formed by connecting multiple plate-shaped or sheet-shaped structural members together. The specific formation is not limited as long as it can facilitate counting the optical coupler 31.

[0036] In addition, it needs to be explained that the counting optocoupler 31 has a transmitting end and a receiving end. The trigger condition can be that the shielding member 32 enters between the transmitting end and the receiving end from the outside, or moves from between the transmitting end and the receiving end to the outside, that is, in the initial position, the shielding member 32 can be set to be located between the transmitting end and the receiving end, or it can be set outside the counting optocoupler 31.

[0037] In an embodiment of the sample feeding mechanism, there are multiple counting components 3, and the multiple counting components 3 are all installed on the rack 1 and arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the feed channel 11. Each counting component 3 can be triggered every time the test tube rack 100 moves a unit distance.

[0038] In this embodiment, the detection accuracy can be improved by providing multiple counting components 3 , and the multiple counting components 3 can be calibrated with each other to avoid the situation where a single movement of the test tube rack 100 fails to trigger one of the counting components 3 .

[0039] In an embodiment of the sampling mechanism, the sampling mechanism further includes an unloading assembly 4, which is installed on the frame 1 and located in the unloading area 12. The unloading assembly 4 is used to drive the test tube rack 100 to move, and the driving direction of the unloading assembly 4 is set at an angle to the extension direction of the feed channel 11.

[0040] In this embodiment, by providing an unloading assembly 4, the test tube rack 100 entering the unloading area 12 can be pushed to a deeper position, thereby increasing the number of test tube racks 100 that can be accommodated in the unloading area 12 of the overall mechanism. Specifically, the unloading assembly 4 includes a linear drive module such as a pneumatic cylinder, an oil cylinder, a linear motor, a screw module, and a push plate. The linear drive module drives the push plate to move linearly, thereby pushing the test tube rack 100 away from the extension line of the feed channel 11, playing a role of making way, and facilitating the subsequent test tube racks 100 to be sequentially delivered to the unloading area 12.

[0041] Preferably, the driving direction of the unloading assembly 4 is perpendicular to the extending direction of the feeding channel 11 .

[0042] In an embodiment of the sampling mechanism, the sampling mechanism also includes a first detection element 5, which is installed on the frame 1 and located in the unloading area 12. The first detection element 5 is communicatively connected with the unloading component 4, and the first detection element 5 is used to detect the position of the test tube rack 100 in the unloading area 12.

[0043] In this embodiment, specifically, the first detection element 5 can be an optical coupler. When the test tube rack 100 triggers the first detection element 5, it means that the test tube rack 100 has completely left the feed channel 11. At this time, the signal can be transmitted to the unloading component 4, and then the unloading component 4 pushes the test tube rack 100 to the depth of the unloading area 12 to avoid the unloading component 4 pushing the test tube rack 100 when the test tube rack 100 has not completely left the feed channel 11 and causing a collision.

[0044] In an embodiment of the sampling mechanism, the sampling mechanism further includes a second detection element, which is mounted on the frame 1 and correspondingly located at one end of the feed channel 11 close to the unloading area 12 . The second detection element is used to detect the position of the test tube rack 100 in the feed channel 11 .

[0045] In this embodiment, similarly, the second detection element can also be an optical coupler. When the test tube rack 100 in the feed channel 11 triggers the second detection element, it means that the test tube rack 100 is about to enter the unloading area 12. This setting can improve the control effect and avoid the test tube rack 100 from colliding with the unloading assembly 4 when entering the unloading area 12.

[0046] In combination with the previous embodiment, by providing the first detection element 5 and the second detection element, the control accuracy of the entire mechanism can be improved and collision and interference can be avoided.

[0047] In an embodiment of the sampling mechanism, the rack 1 is further provided with a loading area 13 connected to the feed channel 11. The loading area 13 is used to store multiple test tube racks 100. The sampling mechanism also includes a loading assembly, which is used to transport the test tube racks 100 in the loading area 13 to the feed channel 11.

[0048] In this embodiment, by providing the loading area 13 and the loading assembly, the storage capacity of the test tube rack 100 can be increased, and the test tube rack 100 can be automatically transported to the feed channel 11. Specifically, the loading assembly may include driving modules in two directions to form an XY axis bidirectional drive, and cooperate with a picking structure module capable of clamping and fixing the test tube rack 100, such as a pneumatic finger or a clamp, so that the test tube rack 100 in the loading area 13 can be transported to the feed channel 11.

[0049] In an embodiment of the sampling mechanism, the sampling mechanism also includes a rotating component 6 and a code scanning component 7, both of which are installed on the frame 1. The rotating component 6 is used to drive the reaction cup on the test tube rack 100 in the feed channel 11 to rotate, and the code scanning component 7 is used to identify the information code on the reaction cup.

[0050] In this embodiment, the rotating component 6 and the code scanning component 7 can identify the information of each reaction cup on the test tube rack 100, thereby facilitating the docking of other mechanisms of the analyzer, such as the sampling mechanism, which can match the information one by one during sampling.

[0051] It is understandable that when the cuvette is on the test tube rack 100, the position of its information code is uncertain, making it difficult for the code scanning assembly 7 to scan it. By setting the rotating assembly 6 to rotate one circle, the code scanning assembly 7 can be driven to complete the detection. Specifically, the rotating assembly 6 may include a clamping module, a linear drive module, and a rotary drive module. The clamping module may be a pneumatic finger, a clamping claw, or other structure. The linear drive module may be a cylinder. The rotary drive module may be a motor. The driving end of the rotary drive module is connected to the linear drive module, and the driving end of the linear drive module is connected to the clamping module.

[0052] In one embodiment of the sample introduction mechanism, the rack 1 is provided with a first sample aspiration position 14 and a second sample aspiration position. The first sample aspiration position 14 is located within the feed channel 11, and the second sample aspiration position is located outside the feed channel 11. The sample introduction mechanism also includes a pickup assembly 8, which is mounted on the rack 1 and is in communication with the barcode scanning assembly 7. The pickup assembly 8 is used to transport a cuvette from a test tube rack 100 in the feed channel 11 to the second sample aspiration position.

[0053] In this embodiment, the first sample aspiration position 14 can be a normal sample aspiration position, and the second sample aspiration position can be an emergency sample aspiration position. When the code scanning component 7 detects that there is no emergency through the identification information code, the pickup component 8 extracts the reaction cup from the test tube rack 100 and places it in the second sample aspiration position for emergency collection. This configuration can improve the applicability of the sample introduction mechanism, facilitate operation by medical personnel, and reduce the burden on medical personnel. Specifically, the pickup component 8 can be in the form of a clamping module in conjunction with a dual-axis drive module. Examples of this are given in the previous embodiments and will not be repeated here.

[0054] The utility model also relates to an analyzer, comprising the sample injection mechanism in the foregoing embodiment.

[0055] By adopting the sample introduction mechanism in the above embodiment, the safety of the analyzer during the sample introduction process can be improved, and the analyzer error caused by the failure of unloading the test tube rack 100 can be avoided.

[0056] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0057] The above embodiments merely illustrate several implementations of the present invention. While the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that a person skilled in the art would be able to make numerous variations and improvements without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and these variations and improvements fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present utility model patent shall be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A sample injection mechanism, characterized in that: The sample injection mechanism comprises: The frame is provided with a feed channel for the test tube rack to pass through, and the frame is also provided with an unloading area connected to the feed channel; a stepping drive assembly mounted on the frame and configured to drive the test tube rack in the feed channel to move stepwise toward the unloading area, wherein a single drive of the drive assembly can move the test tube rack one unit distance; and a counting component installed on the rack. The counting component can be triggered every time the test tube rack moves a unit distance, so that the counting component can know the number of times the stepping drive component is driven.

2. The sample injection mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The counting assembly includes a counting optical coupler and a shielding member, wherein the counting optical coupler is mounted on the frame, and the shielding member is rotatably connected to the frame. The shielding member has an initial position in which the counting optical coupler is not triggered, and a triggering position in which the counting optical coupler is triggered, in a rotation path relative to the frame. The shielding member has a tendency to return to the initial position, and when the shielding member is in the initial position, it partially extends into the feed channel. Each time the test tube rack moves a unit distance, the shielding member can be rotated from the initial position to the trigger position, and the shielding member is prevented from resetting and rotating after the shielding member triggers the counting optical coupler.

3. The sample injection mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: There are multiple counting assemblies, and the multiple counting assemblies are all installed on the rack and spaced apart along the extension direction of the feed channel. Each counting assembly can be triggered every time the test tube rack moves a unit distance.

4. The sample injection mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The sample feeding mechanism further includes an unloading assembly, which is mounted on the frame and located in the unloading area. The unloading assembly is used to drive the test tube rack to move, and the driving direction of the unloading assembly is set at an angle to the extension direction of the feed channel.

5. The sample injection mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that: The sample feeding mechanism further includes a first detection element, which is mounted on the rack and located in the unloading area. The first detection element is communicatively connected to the unloading assembly and is used to detect the position of the test tube rack in the unloading area.

6. The sample injection mechanism according to claim 1 or 5, characterized in that: The sample feeding mechanism further includes a second detection element, which is mounted on the frame and correspondingly located at one end of the feed channel close to the unloading area. The second detection element is used to detect the position of the test tube rack in the feed channel.

7. The sample injection mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The rack is further provided with a loading area connected to the feed channel, and the loading area is used to store a plurality of the test tube racks. The sample feeding mechanism further includes a loading assembly, and the loading assembly is used to transport the test tube racks in the loading area to the feed channel.

8. The sample injection mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The sample feeding mechanism also includes a rotating component and a code scanning component, both of which are installed on the frame. The rotating component is used to drive the reaction cup on the test tube rack in the feeding channel to rotate, and the code scanning component is used to identify the information code on the reaction cup.

9. The sample injection mechanism according to claim 8, characterized in that: The rack is provided with a first sample aspirating position and a second sample aspirating position, the first sample aspirating position is located in the feeding channel, and the second sample aspirating position is located outside the feeding channel; The sample feeding mechanism further includes a picking component, which is mounted on the rack and is in communication with the code scanning component. The picking component is used to transport the reaction cup on the test tube rack in the feeding channel to the second sample aspiration position.

10. An analyzer, characterized in that: The invention comprises a sample injection mechanism as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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